Any vet who has been discharged for less than one year will be eligible for a job at the retailer. First Lady Michelle Obama praised the program and urged other employers to follow suit, CNNMoney noted.

Jobs offered through the program will mostly be at Wal-Mart stores, though the retailer will also seek employees for its distribution centers. The big-box retailer already employs about 100,000 veterans, roughly 7% of its 1.4 million workforce.

Vets face particular difficulties translating military training into marketable job skills at home. In December, the unemployment rate for veterans was 10.8%, compared to 7.5% for all others. Wal-Mart said vets seeking employment through the program will have to meet its standard hiring requirements.